Mendocino County supervisors elect new chairman

County supervisors had their organizational meeting for 2013 on Tuesday, swearing in new and reelected supervisors, electing officers and appointing members to committees and other boards.

Supervisor Dan Hamburg is now chairman of the board, while Supervisor John Pinches is serving as vice chairman. The two were nominated by Supervisor Carre Brown, and approved by unanimous vote.

New Fourth District Supervisor Dan Gjerde, former member of the Fort Bragg City Council, took his county seat for the first time, while Supervisor John McCowen and Brown returned for second terms.

In remarks after the swearing-in, Brown and McCowen both cited the difficult work they'd done in the last four years "in trying to turn this county around, financially," as Brown put it. "I agree with everything that Supervisor Brown has said," McCowen said. "It has been a challenging four years. We know the challenges will continue. But I would also like to welcome Dan Gjerde to our board. We had a good board a week ago. I think we have possibly an even better board today, and I look forward to working with Dan and the rest of my colleagues to continue to make prudent decisions that help keep this county's nose above water, which as we all know is a challenge."

Gjerde remarked: "It's a privilege to be here after 14 years on the city council. I think it's a great challenge the county faces in a number of ways. However, there are also lots of opportunities, and the county has some great staff people. I'm looking forward to some great things coming ahead, and let's get to business."

In more casual remarks, applauded by a room full of laughing observers, Brown noted: "I'm going to be serving as the only female on the board with two Dans and two Johns."

"One way that Supervisor Gjerde has already improved the board," Hamburg noted to continued applause, "is that he's lowered the mean age. Something I'm thankful for."

Jesse Burnett, executive director of the Northern California Tribal Economic Development Corporation, started out the first board meeting of 2013 by offering a blessing, "I'm humbled by this opportunity to stand before you and to offer a blessing for the board of supervisors and the county and for all the people in our county," Burnett said. "It's part of the fabric of America that we come together around things that unite us."

The board also voted unanimously to appoint McCowen to the Mendocino County Board of Retirement, to fill out the final year of departing Supervisor Kendall Smith. McCowen also was reappointed to represent supervisors on the North Coast Railroad Authority board.